Does Cocoa Butter help with Scars?

Apart from scars significantly affecting your self-esteem, it can be very difficult to fight. Whether it’s an acne scar, surgery, or an injury scar, especially when they are on your face.

Everybody hates them, I do too.

So where does cocoa butter come in here? Apparently, we know it as a moisturizer for dry skin and its effect on those long and narrow strips that appear on the surface of the skin called stretch marks. But besides softening stretch marks, cocoa butter can also help prevent scars and scarring from dark spots such as chickenpox marks.

All you need to do is apply it to the affected area regularly and you’ll stop being self-conscious of your skin appearance. But can cocoa butter diminish the appearance of these unsightly skin marks?

We’ll learn more in this article. Let’s dive in.

Scars: Common Causes, Prevention & Treatment 

When we get the definitions straight, when someone undergoes an injury, your body repairs the damage using a special collection of cells and collagen called scar tissue. Although it perfectly heals the wound, it can ruin the physical appearance of many people. 

These scars can be the result of surgery, acne, or injury. There are also other areas on your body that can develop a scar issue like your heart after a severe heart attack. Many doctors are unsure of what exactly causes these scars to form, but one thing is for sure is that hypertrophic and keloids can be the result of chickenpox burns surgery and acne. 

As for the treatment, the best way to treat your scars is to prevent them in the first place. Although scar treatments cost over $20 billion in the United States every year, doctors explain the only limited effectiveness of such procedures. 

If you are aged between 10 to 30 years old, expect to be more prone to getting scars which makes it harder to get rid of in the long run. 

Among all these difficulties, there is hope. 

Cocoa butter is known to soften your skin and improve its elasticity to prevent the formation of such pesky scars. Here’s everything you need to know about cocoa butter with scars to help you treat scars effectively. 

Facts about Cocoa Butter for Scars

1. Cocoa Butter can help reduce new scars

If you are worried about the appearance of your scars, it may be time you invest some time into massaging your skin with cocoa butter and nourish the skin from within. 

The best way to do that is to massage in circular, vertical and horizontal motion across the scar 2 to 3 times a day to yield the best results. However, before you apply it directly on your skin, make sure to gently exfoliate the desired areas to get rid of the dead skin cells and let the product absorb better.  

2. Cocoa butter can reduce inflammation

As a general rule of thumb, if the scar doesn’t heal over time, it naturally turns into inflammation and worsens its appearance on the skin.

The good news is, cocoa butter is packed with anti-inflammation and antioxidants properties called polyphenols that offer tremendous benefits in protecting your skin against inflammation and alleviating dry skin. As a result, you are likely to prevent scars and reduce the effects of the scar tissue.

3. Cocoa Butter contains vitamin E and vitamin K. 

Vitamin E and K are the two main ingredients used to lighten skin and have an even-toned body. Considering how Cocoa butter contains these two significant properties, it also helps to get rid of the pigmentation around the scar, reducing its overall appearance. 

Myths about Cocoa Butter for Scars

1. Cocoa Butters works by preventing acne

Cocoa butter is not for acne-prone skin. Although cocoa butter is used as one of the best ingredients to incorporate into your regular skincare routine, it is not recommended for oily skin as it has the potential to clog pores. 

This can lead to bacteria build-up and eventually cause breakouts. What’s worse, it wouldn’t take too long before you start to see acne forming on your face. 

This can aggravate your scarring problem and make it challenging to tackle the issue.

2. It offers UV Protection

It is believed that sun rays can be the biggest culprit behind causing deep scars. This is true, but cocoa butter can help prevent it may not be. The phytochemicals in cocoa butter can help build a thick layer of protection on your skin to prevent sun damage but this is no evidence that proves the credibility of this fact. 

Sure, you can use it as an alternative for sunblock but it shouldn’t be your #1 solution to get protection against the harmful UV rays.

3. You get immediate results

We all have our experience with this sweet-smelling butter, but it is certainly not a magical remedy to cure scars instantly. The only way you can make the most out of cocoa butter is through consistent use (Spoiler alert: I’ll be talking about that in a while) 

Cocoa Butter as a Skin Product

What is Cocoa Butter

Call it cocoa butter, theobroma cacao, or cocoa seed butter, the powerful properties present are great emollients to deeply moisturize your skin and keep it soft and supple at all times. However, this isn’t the full reality of it. 

Although cocoa butter brings up delicious vibes like chocolate fudge, bars and other chocolatey dishes, it has been widely used as a beauty product to remove stretch marks and freshen up the tone of your skin. But can it improve your scars? Read or to find out!

The Origin of Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter comes from the cacao plant. Yes, you are right; this is the same plant that is used to extract cocoa powder. Cacao is native to South American counters but the largest suppliers of cocoa still reside in Ghana and Ivory Coast all from Africa. People have been using cocoa butter for over 3000 years to intensify their skincare routines before any other product. 

The fact that cocoa contains flavonoids makes it an ideal source of antioxidants to offer you countless health benefits. This is one of the major reasons why cocoa has been widely studied for its benefits on heart diseases, skin conditions and maintaining healthy blood pressure. 

If you think that’s just me raving about the benefits of cocoa beans, wait till you find out how celebrities like Naomi Campbell say “It’s the simple secret of sexy skin” to ensure the ever needed peace of mind before putting it on your skin. 

Many people over the years have been using cocoa butter as lip balms as the moisture stays locked in for long periods of time and yields better results. The hydrating properties of this incredible butter are what make it one of the most well-known products to trust on your skin.  

What cocoa butter is good for scars?

Although cocoa buttes have been revolutionizing the beauty industry and used for scars around the world, it’s not the ideal way to get rid of your scars. When we specifically talk about the effectiveness of the butter, everything boils down to the fundamentals of cocoa butter. 

The way cocoa butter works is by moisturizing your skin from within and keeps your scar from drying out and worsening in the future. As it contains lightening properties like vitamin E, it can also lighten the discoloration around it. However, as it takes years to get your desired results which are why people tend to avoid counting on cocoa butter to aid scars. 

What helps get rid of scars?

The key to finding the best product lines is the basic ingredients and chemicals that you need to stay away from. If you have acne-prone skin, it’s best to go for non-comedogenic products like the Vaseline® Jelly Cocoa Butter that is highly gentle on the skin and doesn’t clog your pores. 

However, if you want to go the extra mile and try medical procedures, you also have the option to try out steroid injections to remove the scar, cryotherapy (freezing using nitrogen) to treat smaller keloids and silicone sheets to flatten the bumpy scars. 

How often should you apply cocoa butter to scars?

If you are willing to devote your precious time to cocoa butter, you better do it right. Therefore, massage the butter on the affected areas thoroughly 2 to 3 times a day for 10 minutes. 

If it’s difficult to keep up with the routine, it’s best that you apply it in the morning and right before you sleep to let the product absorb effectively and speed up the process of healing. 

Is Palmer’s cocoa butter lotion good for scars?

What wouldn’t work if you use the magic of nature mixed with some of the richest proven ingredients to help improve your skin? If you are into cocoa butter, there is no way you haven’t heard of Palmer’s cocoa butter lotion. The product has been the go-to for stretch marks and scars which when combined with Vitamin E can gradually work in your favour and enhance skin elasticity. 

Palmer’s is a perfect olive butter, coconut oil, shea butter and of course, pure cocoa butter for best results. Thus if you are looking to get started with cocoa butter, it’s safe to say that Palmer’s cocoa butter can be an excellent formula to help you in this process. 

How can I lighten the scars on my legs?

Every part of your body deserves the same amount of love and attention as your face. Here, cocoa butter gives you the opportunity to love yourself better but take care of your legs and actually see buttery soft legs to help you rock those mini skirts. 

That’s not even the best part. There are many other ways you can elevate the appearance of your legs and make them stand out from the rest. Here, essential oils can play a big role in improving scars and softening scar tissue. I suggest you go for the ones that contain Vitamin C or E to get the best results. 

You can also try your hand at trying out different massage techniques to ensure your car doesn’t stick to the blood vessels, nerves and bones. Begin by using an exfoliator or cleanser to get rid of all the dead skin cells residing on your legs. After that, you can work your way up with cocoa butter to evenly moisturize your skin and let it penetrate deep inside your skin. 

Bear in mind to exfoliate your skin only thrice per week as excessive exfoliation can do more harm than good. 

Is Vitamin E good for scars?

Vitamin E is widely known for its outstanding benefits for your eyes, strengthening the immune system and improving skin discoloration. But can it do the same for your scars? Glad you asked that. A review conducted on Vitamin E in 2016 indicated that more research is needed to prove the efficiency of Vitamin E for scar healing. 

However, one thing we know for sure is that according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) the biggest perk of moisturizing is its ability to prevent the effect of scars and make it a lot healthier. 

Does cocoa butter lighten dark spots?

Pure cocoa butter has the potential to lighten dark spots and do wonders in bringing back the glow on your body and help you shine again. 

Not just that, it also contains many powerful properties to preserve scars from reforming and ensuring you have better long-term results. However, the key here is to stay consistent with your efforts and keep your expectations realistic. 

Does Palmer’s Cocoa Butter work on acne scars? 

Cocoa butter in general is packed with emollients to make your skin feel smooth and healthy. However, if you are suffering from severe acne scars, it may not be the right solution for you. Sure, it can be a great way to treat hyperpigmentation but if used on acne-prone skin it will actually lead to clogged pores to cause more scarring in the future. 

Can acne scars be removed by using cocoa butter?

As a general rule of thumb, painful acne that is not treated at the right time can lead to skin damage that will last for the rest of your life. And if you happen to be a skin picker, it can surely make matters worse. 

Here, remember cocoa butter can work to an extent, it won’t be the magical treatment to restore the damage. Non-comedogenic cocoa butter may be used to soothe the skin and improve the texture but it won’t be able to bring back the collagen that you have lost and successfully even out your skin’s surface. 

Conclusion

Although most scars need special medical treatment to cure, you can also do your part of the work and try out at-home remedies to put your best foot forward. As long as you are aware of your skin condition, there is nothing stopping you from keeping up with cocoa butter and staying ahead in your skin pampering game. 

Photo of author
AUTHOR
Hi, Nelson here... is the lead reviewer here at Cocoaness. A cocoa enthusiast and an ‘honest’ reviewer. I know cocoa more like you know your favorite fruit. I’m a farmer by birth because of my family’s vast cocoa farm in Ghana. In fact, I will be a chocolatier in the near future.